Globe And Mail: In West Africa, disease just as devastating as war
Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, president of Mali

“…Long after this [Ebola] outbreak has been brought under control, people in the region will continue to suffer; feeling its impact on trade, agriculture, public health services, human migration, and the economy for years to come. This should serve as a wake-up call to us all that infectious disease is not just a consequence of poverty, but a major cause of it as well. … Today, Ebola has taught us that infectious disease is equally capable of ignoring borders and destabilizing regions as any armed conflict. … Together we can create stability and eradicate poverty, but that journey must begin by strengthening immunization and health systems to ensure our people are healthy and our children protected from disease” (11/26).